A garden house can be an attractive proposition as a home to live in, but can you really live in a garden house? There are some pros and cons to consider and some legalities to understand.

Loghouse offers a range of garden houses that are both stylish and practical, and garden houses are usually built in tranquil, natural surroundings. If you love being surrounded by plants and wildlife, then a garden house could be perfect for you. They can also be a more affordable option than a traditional home, as they require less land and construction materials.

Let’s see if a garden house is a good choice for you.

What is a garden house?

Garden houses are usually small buildings found in the garden of your main home. You might expect they would often lack some of the amenities you might find in a typical home, such as a kitchen or bathroom, but this isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, modern garden room can contain everything a traditional home would, including a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and access to electricity, water, and wifi.

Log cabins make an ideal garden house as they are often constructed from high-quality, durable materials that provide natural insulation.

What are the benefits of living in a garden house?

There are several benefits to living in a one-bed garden room, especially if you’re looking for a more affordable place to call home. Garden houses are often cheaper to build than a traditional home, and they’re also usually smaller, so they’re cheaper to maintain and heat. And if you garden, you can enjoy fresh produce from your backyard!

That’s not to say they are small – just smaller than a “regular” house. With floor space of 5m x 5m or larger, there is still room for plenty of furniture and activity areas.

Garden rooms can also be a great way to downsize your life and live more simply. If you don’t need much space, why not sell your big house and move into a smaller one? You can save money on bills, reduce your carbon footprint, and declutter your life simultaneously! Certain legal requirements must be met, and we’ll take a look at those a little later on.

garden-house-Ireland

Loghouse Ireland, Bray Showroom, Horkans Garden Centre, Glen of the Downs, Bray, Co. Wicklow, A98 W3V8

What are the drawbacks of living in a garden house?

Of course, garden houses also have some drawbacks. One is that they’re often located close to your main home, so if you’re looking for privacy and seclusion, this might not be the best option. You are entirely separate from the main home, but that doesn’t stop people from visiting!

Other potential drawbacks include a lack of natural light (since garden houses are often surrounded by trees and plants) and the possibility of flooding if your garden house is located in an area prone to heavy rains.

With careful planning and building your garden room in the right location, many of these pitfalls can be avoided, and your garden building will only be flooded with natural light.

Are garden houses legal?

This is a common question, and unfortunately, there is no easy answer. Garden houses are perfectly legal to build, and if they are in your own back garden, they often don’t require planning permission. The rules on this vary, so it is always worth confirming the situation with your local authority.

The requirement for planning permission is usually based on the size of the building and its proximity to the border of your property. As you might expect, this is partially to prevent issues with your neighbours but also to ensure that garden houses don’t have a negative impact on the local environment.

The legal issue arises when you decide to live in a garden house. If you sleep there overnight every now and then during summer, there’s no issue, as your main home remains your primary residence.

However,  if you move in permanently, you might be considered to have created a second dwelling on your property, which will almost certainly require planning permission and means your garden house will need to comply with the existing building regulations.

This applies to you or anyone else who might want to live in the garden room house as it is considered to be a permanent structure.

The rules may change once again when a garden house is built as an extension or annex to your existing home. This may not be considered a separate dwelling and therefore falls under the regulations relating to your main home.

The term “garden house” can often be used interchangeably with log cabins & garden rooms, which may lead to confusion. In these instances, a “garden log cabin house” describes a style of building rather than a house that is built in your garden. As such, if you own a plot of land and wish to build a home on it, a “garden house” could be a great choice – residential log cabins are certainly cheaper to construct than traditional homes.

You will still need to obtain planning permission and follow all the building regulations in force in your area, but you won’t have any issues with garden houses rather than brick buildings, for example.

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Loghouse Ireland, Bray Showroom, Horkans Garden Centre, Glen of the Downs, Bray, Co. Wicklow, A98 W3V8

So, can you live in a garden house?

The answer is yes – but only under certain circumstances. There is usually very little in the way that will stop you from building a garden room in your garden, but living in it within the grounds of your main home can cause issues.

If you have a plot of land and want to build a cost-effective, eco-friendly home, a garden room could be the answer. With simple financing available and a completely custom design option, a garden log cabin house represents a great opportunity for those looking for an alternative to a traditional home.

When you’re ready to choose your garden log cabin don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at Loghouse. We have a wide range of garden log cabin available, and our experienced team can help you find the perfect one for your needs.

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